Container and bottle cap



Jan. 9, 1968 F. MICCICHE CONTAINER AND BOTTLE CAP Filed Dec. 6, 1965 mgzwazwm Patented Jan. 9, 1968 3,362,557 CONTAINER AND BOTTLE CAP Frank Micciche, 83 Clover Ave., Floral Park, N.Y. 11001 Filed Dec. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 511,684 9 Claims. (Cl. 215-39) This invention relates generally to a bottle cap and more particularly to a bottle cap which may be quickly and easily removed from a bottle or other container by simply rotating the cap, which is reusable, and which eliminates the necessity for using any bottle opener or other utensil in order to remove the bottle cap from the bottle or other container.

Conventional bottle caps have been used for many years to close and seal bottles and containers which contain a wide variety of products, such as soda, beer, juices, etc. These prior art bottle caps are in the form of a flat, circular head or crown slightly greater in diameter than the diameter of the bottle top which it is to enclose, and an annular skirt or flange which is adapted to engage the neck of the bottle. The annular flange or skirt is crimped at a plurality of positions about its periphery to form a plurality of ridges and valleys. These ridges or valleys enable the skirt of the bottle cap to be snapped over the top of a bottle and to sealably engage the neck of the bottle. The interior surface of the head of the bottle cap is covered with cork or other sealing material. As the cap is forced into position over the top of the bottle this sealing material is compressed between the underside of the head of the cap and the lip of the bottle and this forms a seal which prevents the escape of any material from the bottle or the entry of any foreign substances into the bottle.

In order to remove these prior art bottle caps from a bottle or container to which they have been affixed, it is necessary to use a bottle opener or other utensil. These bottle openers generally exert pressure on the head portion of the cap while simultaneously engaging the bottom of the'skirt or flange thereby exerting a lifting force beneath the skirt of the cap. This serves to deform the cap and break the seal with which the cap is held against the neck of the bottle. The removal of conventional bottle caps therefore requires the use of a utensil such as a bottle opener which is not usually sold or pre-packaged with the bottle and generally renders the cap unusable after it has once been removed from the bottle or container.

In view of the foregoing it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a bottle cap which can be used in a conventional way to seal bottles and containers and which can be removed by simply rotating the cap in either direction without the necessity for using any bottle opener or other utensil to remove the bottle cap.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle cap which can be manufactured on standard crown cap machinery or the like and which does not necessitate the design or manufacture of any new machinery but which can use conventional machinery for both the manufacture of the bottle cap and the associated bottle or container which it is to seal.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle cap which is inexpensive to manufacture,

which can be manufactured on existing machinery, which can be installed on bottles or containers with existing machinery, and which has the advantage of being remov able from the bottle or container by the simple application of a rotary force in either direction. The bottle cap of the present invention is removed from a bottle or container by rotating it through a given number of degrees in either direction, but does not entail the inclusion of any threads or the like on either the cap or the bottle. Due to this fact the the cap of the present invention can be removed from a bottle or container by rotating the cap in either direction.

These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will appear from a reading of the following detailed description of several embodiments of the invention which are to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like components in the several views are identfied by the same numeral.

In the drawngs:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a bottle cap in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the bottle cap illustrated in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the neck and top of a bottle manufactured in accordance with the present invention and adapted to receive the bottle cap of the present invention,

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1 and also showing a cross-section of the bottle illustrated in FIGURE 3 prior to the bottle cap of the present invention being engaged with the bottle in order to seal the same,

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but after the bottle cap of the present invention has been engaged with the top of the bottle in order to seal the same,

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but illustrating a modified form of bottle cap, and

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 but illustrating yet another embodiment of the invention.

Briefly stated the bottle cap of the present invention is used to seal bottles or containers of conventional construction with the exception that the upper portion of the neck or lip of the bottle or container is provided with a surface which is inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the bottle or container, i.e. when viewed from the side the top of the neck of the bottle is slightly inclined. This is to be contrasted with prior art bottles or containers in which the upper portion of the neck or lip is positioned at right angles with respect to the vertical axis of the container or bottle. The top of the bottle generally only has to be inclined a few degrees but the angle of inclination depends upon factors such as the diameter of the cap, the depth of the skirt of the cap and the diameter of the bottle or container. As a general rule on bottles which have a neck of large diameter, such, for example, as on jars for packaging baby food, the angle of inclination of the bottle top can be much smaller than, for example, on soft drink bottles which have a neck of small diameter. The reason for this will be presently described.

The bottle cap of the present invention is generally in the same form as prior art bottle caps, with the exception that the bottom surface of the crown or head of the bottle cap is provided with an axial protrusion or lip about at least approximately a 180 degree portion of the cap. This protrusion can be formed either by pressing out a portion of the crown or by afiixing a substance to the bottom surface of the crown in order to form the protrusion. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the underside of the crown of the cap is provided with a protrusion or axial extension which extends about a 360 degree portion of the cap and concentric with the skirt of the cap.

In assembling the bottle cap of the present invention to a bottle top or container top the cap is forced over the top of the bottle or container until the axially extending projection or lip encounters the inclined top of the bottle. If the projections extend only for a distance of approximately 180 degrees about the underside of the crown it is necessary to first position the cap with respect to the bottle top so that the projection will register with the lowermost portion of the ramp forming the inclined top surface of the bottle. It is to be noted, however, that if the projection extends over a 360 degree portion of the cap there is no necessity for registering or aligning the cap with the bottle top.

As the bottle cap is forced over the top of the bottle or container the skirt of the cap engages the sides of the bottle and approximately a 180 degree portion of the projection from the bottom surface of the crown will engage the upper portion of the ramplike incline of the bottle top. As the cap is continually forced downwardly against the neck of the bottle top the upper portion of the ramp will force the portion of the lip in contact therewith axially outwardly such that when the cap is completely engaged on the bottle top approximately a 180 degree portion of the lip, i.e. that portion of the lip in contact with the upper portions of the ramp will be forced upwardly to approximately the level of the top of the crown. The remaining 180 degree portion of the lip will remain in sealing contact with the lower portions of the ramp forming the top of the bottle. This, of course, assumes that the lip extends about a 360 degree portion of the cap. If only a 180 degree lip is provided there will be no portion of the lip which is forced vertically outwardly by contact with the upper portion of the ramp.

It is to be noted that when the cap of the present invention is forced vertically downwardly over the top of a bottle, portions of the lip protruding axially from the underside of the crown of the cap will engage the uppermost parts of the ramp forming the top of the bottle. As the axial pressure on the bottle cap is increased the cap is forced into closer and more intimate contact with the top of the bottle and other portions of the protruding lip will accordingly engage other portions of the ramp. The portions of the lip engaging the ramp will be pushed axially outwardly by the ramp and in a direction away from the ramp and toward the top of the crown of the cap. In this manner when the cap of the present invention is completely affixed to a bottle top approximately a 180 degree portion of the protruding lip will be virtually unaffected, this being the portion of the protruding lip adjacent to the lower portions of the ramp, whereas the remainder of the protuding lip will have been depressed in a crescent-like manner, i.e. the lip will have been forced axially outwardly a maximum distance at the uppermost portion of the ramp and in decreasing amounts at other portions of the ramp, such that the lip When viewed in cross-section will have a crescent-like configuration.

In order to remove the cap of the present invention from a bottle or container all that is necessary is to rotate the cap in either direction. In order to facilitate rotation the outer periphery of the crown as well as a portion of the skirt is knurled in order to provide a gripping surface. As the cap is rotated the protruding lip is gradually forced up the ramplike incline of the top of the bottle. As the protruding lip is forced further up the inclined ramp the pressure exerted upon the skirt is gradually increased. As the protruding lip is forced further and further up the inclined ramp the pressure on the skirt is gradually increased until a portion of the skirt is forced away from the bottle cap thereby facilitating the simple removal of the cap from the bottle. If desired the skirt of the cap of the present invention can be provided with one or more score marks in order to provide weakening points such that the skirt will split as the protruding lip is forced further and further up the inclined ramp and the pressure is increased on the skirt. The cap of the present invention can be easily replaced on the top of the bottle or container by simply snapping it back into position.

Referring now to the drawings the bottle cap of the present invention is identified in general by the numeral 10 and the bottle which it is to seal or close is identified in general by the numeral 11. The top of the bottle 11, as best illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, is inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the bottle to form a ramp identified in general by the numeral 12. The slope of the ramp 12 is a function of the dimensions of the cap 10 and of the diameter of the neck 13 of the bottle 11.

The bottle cap of the present invention is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 and includes a circular crown portion 14 and an annular skirt 15 which extends generally axially from the edge of the crown. The skirt 15 is crimped at spaced intervals abouts its perimeter to form spaced ridges 16. The number of ridges 16 may be varied to include any desired number.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2 the ridges 16 are provided with score or weakening lines 17 for a purpose to be presently described. The score line 17 may be formed on each ridge 16 or at selected ridges about the periphery of the skirt 16.

The diameter of the cap 10 is the same as or slightly greater than the diameter of the neck 13 of the bottle 11 so that the skirt 15 can slip over the neck 13. In this manner the portions 18 of the skirt 15 intermediate the ridges 16 can engage the neck 13 of the bottle as illustrated in FIGURE 5. In one embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in FIGURES l, 4 and 5, the crown 14 of the cap 10 is deformed to form the annular trough 19. In forming the trough 19 there is also formed on the underside of the crown 14 of the cap 10 an axially extending annular lip 20. The lip, as illustrated, is concentric with the skirt 15 and is annular, i.e. encompasses 360 degrees. The lip 20 has a diameter such that the lip 20 will engage the ramp 12 when the cap 10 is brought into position to seal or close the bottle 11.

The assembly of the cap of the present invention is completed by in some manner afiixing to the underside of the crown 14 some substance which when engaged by the ramp 12 will create a seal in order to prevent the escape of gas or other contents from the bottle 11, and in order to prevent the entry of any foreign substances into the bottle 11 after the bottle has been scaled by the cap 10. This sealing material can be coated, sprayed or in some manner affixed to the underside of the crown 14. This sealing substance is identified by the numeral 21 in the figures.

In another embodiment of the invention rather than deforming the crown 14 in order to form the lip 20, the lip 20 can be formed from the sealing material 21. In this embodiment of the invention the crown 14 is not deformed in any manner but the seal 21 is inserted to be in engagement with the underside of the skirt 15, the seal 21 forming the lip 20. It is important to note, however, that the seal 21 must be formed of a material such as nylon, cork, etc., which can be deformed and flow under pressure to effect a seal.

In affixing the cap 10 of the present invention to the bottle 11 the cap 10 is positioned in vertical alignment with the bottle 11 as illustrated in FIGURE 4. The cap is then moved vertically downwardly such that the skirt slips over the neck 13 of the bottle with the portions 18 of the skirt 15 engaging the neck 13 of the bottle 11. As the cap 10 is forced vertically downwardly over the neck 13 the lip engages the ramp 12. Due to the incline of the ramp 12 the lip 20 first engages the uppermost portion 22 of the ramp 12. As the lip 20 is forced with greater pressure against the upper part 22 of the ramp 12 the portion of the lip 20 in engagement with the ramp 12 is forced axially outwardly. When the cap 10 is in its sealing position on the bottle 11 those portions of the lip 20 in engagement with the ramp 12 have been forced axially outward, such that a portion of the lip 20 has been returned to its original position in the same plane as the top of the crown 14 as illustrated in FIGURE 5. At the time that the cap 10 is fully inserted on the bottle 11 the portion of the lip 20 adjacent the lower portion 23 of the ramp 12 is in engagement with the ramp 12 and has been only slightly deformed. Due to the incline of the ramp 12 the lip 20 is deformed in a crescent-like form, i.e. the lip 20 is deformed in the maximum axial direction at the point of contact with the uppermost position 22 of the ramp 12, and decreases therefrom in crescent form.

When the cap 10 is fully inserted in its sealing position on the bottle 11 as illustrated in FIGURE 5, the sealing material 21 is compressed either between the lip 20 and the ramp 12, or between the underside of the crown 14 and the ramp 12, depending upon how the lip 20 is formed. The pressure with which the sealing material 21 is compressed forms a fluid type seal between the interior and exterior of the bottle 11.

When it is desired to open or remove the cap 10 from the bottle 11, the cap 10 is grasped by the fingers with the fingers in engagement with the skirt 15. In order to provide a good gripping surface the skirt can be provided with a knurled portion 24, as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The cap 10 is then rotated in either direction. During the course of this rotation the lip 20 in engagement with the lowermost portion 23 of the ramp 12 is gradually forced up the inclined ramp 12. As the cap is rotated and the lip 20 is forced up the inclined ramp 12 a lever action is produced. This lever action is a function of the depth of the lip 20, which in turn is a function of the degree of inclination of the ramp 12, and of the diameter of the cap 10. If the neck 13 has a large diameter the same force can be produced as with a bottle having a small diameter neck by merely varying the angle of inclination of the ramp 12. Since the lever arm is increased as the diameter of the cap is increased, the angle inclination of the ramp 12 can be reduced in order to provide the same lever action or lifting force.

As the cap is rotated a lifting force is generated as the lip 20 moves up the inclined ramp 12, and this force is exerted against the skirt 15. As the lip moves further and further up the ramp 12 the pressure or lifting force on the skirt 15 is gradually increased until it is forced away from the neck 13 of the bottle 11. If desired the ridges 16 on the skirt 15 can be provided with weakening or score lines 17. As the pressure is increased on the skirt 15 due to the rotation of the cap 10 the score or weakening lines 17 will part with a smaller degree of force than that required to lift the skirt away from the neck 13 of the bottle 11.

It can accordingly be seen that the force with which the cap 10 must be rotated in order to remove it from the bottle 11 can be varied depending upon the diameter of the cap 10, the angle of inclination of the ramp 12, and the score or weakening lines 17. In the preferred embodiment of the invention these factors are adjusted to require approximately four to six pounds pressure in order to rotate the cap 10, thereby forcing the lip 20 up the incline 12 and forcing the skirt 15 away from the neck 13 of the bottle 11.

In another embodiment of the invention the lip 20 as illustrated in FIGURE 6 is only provided about approximately a degree arc of the crown 14. With this embodiment, however, it is necessary that the cap 10 be properly aligned with respect to the neck 13 of the bottle 11 before the cap 10 is moved axially downward to engage the neck 13. In this alignment it is necessary that the lip 20 be adjacent the lowermost portions of the ramp 12. If this alignment is not made the lip 20 will be forced outwardly by the upper portion 22 of the ramp 12, thereby leaving no lip portion to ride up the ramp 12 and thereby exert lever action on the skirt 15. In order to avoid this problem of alignment an annular lip such as illustrated in FIGURE 1 is preferably employed.

In another embodiment of the invention the lip 10 can be discontinuous as illustrated in FIGURE 7. The only requirement with regard to the lip 10 is that a suflicient portion remain after the cap 10 is in position on the bottle 11 such that when the cap 10 is rotated the lip 10 will ride up the ramp 12, thereby exerting a lever or lifting action on the skirt 15 to permit the cap 10 to be removed from the bottle 11.

What has been described is a bottle cap which can be manufactured from existing equipment and which can be used to seal bottles which can also be manufactured on existing equipment. The only requirement is that the top of the bottle be formed with an inclined ramp and that the underside of the crown of the cap be provided with a lip in such manner that when the cap 10 is rotated in either direction the lip will be moved up the inclined ramp forming the top of the bottle. The movement of the lip up the ramp forms a moment arm which exerts an increasing pressure or lifting force on the skirt of the cap until the skirt is forced away from the neck of the bottle. Thus the cap of the present invention may be removed simply by a rotary motion in either direction and without the use of a bottle opener or other utensils. In addition, the bottle cap of the present invention is reusable since it can be easily replaced on the bottle in order to seal the same due to the fact that the bottle cap is not deformed during removal.

It is to be understood that while several embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, that these were not meant in any Way to limit the inven tion but were merely given in order to illustrate various aspects of the invention. Many modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and any equivalent structures to those illustrated and described are to be included within the scope of the present invention except as limited by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a container having a radially inclined ramp on the upper surface of the neck a bottle cap for capping said container, said cap comprising a circular crown, an annular skirt depending from the edge of said crown and adapted to fit over and engage said container neck, a lip extending substantially axially from the bottom surface of said crown and substantially concentric With said skirt and adapted to abut against said ramp when said cap is engaged in sealing engagement with said neck, said lip being formed during sealing of said cap to said neck to conform said lip to the con figuration of said ramp, and said lip moving up said inclined ramp when said cap is rotated whereby a lifting force is exerted on said cap to facilitate disengagement of said cap from said container.

2. A combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cap is at least equal in diameter to the outer diameter of the neck of said container.

3. A combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein said lip is shorter than said skirt.

4. A combination in accordance with claim 3 wherein said lip extends in an arc of approximately 180 degrees. 5. A combination in accordance with claim 3 wherein 7 said lip extends in substantially a complete circle substantially concentric with said skirt.

6. A combination in accordance with claim 3 wherein said lip is formed by deforming said crown.

7. A combination in accordance with claim 3 wherein said skirt is knurled to provide a surface for gripping said cap to rotate the same.

8. A combination in accordance with claim 3 wherein said skirt is crimped at spaced intervals about the periphery to provide spaced ridges.

9. A combination in accordance with claim 8 wherein at least one of said ridges is provided with a score line to weaken the same whereby said ridge will yield when force is applied thereto by rotating said cap and forcing said lip up said ramp.

8 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 9/ 1957 Great Britain.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner.

15 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A CONTAINER HAVING A RADIALLY INCLINED RAMP ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE NECK A BOTTLE CAP FOR CAPPING SAID CONTAINER, SAID CAP COMPRISING A CIRCULAR CROWN, AN ANNULAR SKIRT DEPENDING FROM THE EDGE OF SAID CROWN AND ADAPTED TO FIT OVER AND ENGAGE SAID CONTAINER NECK, A LIP EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY AXIALLY FROM THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID CROWN AND SUBSTANTIALLY CONCENTRIC WITH SAID SKIRT AND ADAPTED TO ABUT AGAINST SAID RAMP WHEN SAID CAP IS ENGAGED IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID NECK, SAID LIP BEING FORMED DURING SEALING OF SAID CAP TO SAID NECK TO CONFORM SAID LIP TO THE CONFIGURATION OF SAID RAMP, AND SAID LIP MOVING UP SAID INCLINED RAMP WHEN SAID CAP IS ROTATED WHEREBY A LIFTING FORCE IS EXERTED ON SAID CAP TO FACILITATE DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID CAP FROM SAID CONTAINER. 